Live Updates: Royals at Cardinals (Game Two)
After a short rest, the second game of Wednesday's split doubleheader between the Royals and St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium has arrived. The Royals won game one, 6-4, in the early afternoon.
The Cardinals (48-43) started out with an early 3-0 lead, but the Royals scored the next six runs unanswered and got back in the game on the strength of a three-run fifth inning. Both starting pitchers in the game went six innings or more. Royals catcher Salvador Perez hit his 15th home run of the season.
There are a number of lineup changes for the doubleheader's finale. For the Royals (50-43), Nick Loftin, Maikel Garcia and Garrett Hampson are out of the starting lineup for game two. Perez is serving as the designated hitter, while Freddy Fermin will man the plate at catcher. In center field will be Kyle Isbel. At third base is Adam Frazier, and at second base will be Michael Massey, who pinch hit earlier in the day.
St. Louis has also changed some things up, giving Masyn Winn a rest at shortstop; filling in for him is Brandon Crawford. Willson Contreras, who was the designated hitter in game one, will resume his normal post as catcher while game one's right fielder Alec Burleson is set to be the designated hitter. Lars Nootbaar is shifting over to right, while Michael Siani, who did not play game one, will be in center.
Michael Wacha, a longtime former Cardinal, will face his old team, while Gordon Graceffo gets the spot start for the home team in place of Sonny Gray. It is Graceffo's second MLB game and first career start.
Live Updates (most recent at top):
Bottom 9:
- Contreras flies out to end the game. Royals sweep the doubleheader at Busch. FINAL: Royals 8, Cardinals 5.
- Donovan grounds into a fielder's choice, and Winn is retired. Two outs.
- Matt Carpenter pinch hits for Carlson and lines out to Renfroe.
- Winn gets aboard with a leadoff single.
- James McArthur is in to pitch for the Royals for the second time today. He got a save in the doubleheader's opening game.
Top 9:
- Pasquantino grounds out. Last call coming for the Cardinals in the doubleheader.
- Witt Jr. strikes out swinging.
- Maikel Garcia pinch hits for Frazier and strikes out looking.
- Isbel hits a solo home run to take the Royals' lead back to three runs. That could be the exclamation point. It's now 8-5. Royals have hit three home runs in the game.
- Andrew Kittredge is on to pitch for the Cardinals.
Bottom 8:
- Gorman strikes out swinging. Cardinals, down 7-5, have three offensive outs left.
- Arenado lines out to left.
- Nootbaar lines out to center.
- Kris Bubic is now pitching for the Royals.
Top 8:
- Fermin grounds out to end the inning. No further damage for Kansas City in the eighth, but the Royals lead 7-5.
- Melendez grounds out.
- Renfroe flies out to right.
Bottom 7:
- Goldschmidt strikes out swinging, stranding a runner in scoring position. We'll soon see if that run looms large.
- Burleson strikes out swinging. Big second out for Schreiber.
- Contreras grounds out, but a run scores. Two-run game again. Royals lead it 7-5.
- The Royals call on John Schreiber to relieve Zerpa.
- Donovan doubles. Runners on second and third, nobody out, and St. Louis is in business.
- Dylan Carlson pinch hits for Siani and hits a leadoff single.
Top 7:
- Massey grounds out to retire the side.
- Perez flies out to Nootbaar.
- Pasquantino singles, scoring Isbel. The Royals get a bit of insurance before stretch time with a 7-4 lead, and the inning isn't over yet. Only one out.
- Cardinals manager Oli Marmol goes to get Fernandez, and replacing him on the bump will be John King.
- Witt Jr. singles, and Isbel advances to third.
- Frazier strikes out swinging.
- Isbel gets aboard with a leadoff walk.
Bottom 6:
- Winn pinch hits for Crawford and pops out to end the inning. The score remains 6-4 Kansas City.
- Gorman strikes out swinging.
- Arenado grounds out.
- Angel Zerpa replaces Michael Wacha on the mound.
Top 6:
- Fermin strikes out swinging.
- Melendez flies out to left.
- Renfroe flies out to left.
- Massey hits a single. That'll be all for Liberatore, and on comes Ryan Fernandez.
- Salvador Perez belts a home run, his second of the day and 16th of the year, to left field. Kansas City gets one of the runs back. The new score, 6-4, is identical to the final of the last game. First pitch he saw in the at-bat.
Bottom 5:
- Nootbaar grounds out to end the inning, but now St. Louis is down only one run, 5-4.
- Goldschmidt singles to third, bringing Burleson home and cutting the deficit back down to one. The score is 5-4.
- Burleson gets a run on the board with an RBI double, scoring Contreras, and advances to third base on a throwing error. 5-3, Royals.
- Contreras gets aboard with a single to right.
- Donovan flies out to left.
- Siani grounds out to second.
Top 5:
- Pasquantino flies out, and the Cardinals stop the bleeding, but the home team's deficit is now three runs.
- Witt Jr. hits a sac fly that scores Frazier. 5-2, Royals.
- Frazier sends home Isbel, and Kansas City gets the Cardinal run right back. Royals lead 4-2.
- Isbel singles to center, then steals second.
- Fermin grounds out.
Bottom 4:
- Crawford grounds out, but the home team gets one back.
- Gorman hits a ground-rule double and the two-run lead is cut in half. 3-2, Royals.
- Arenado pops out to the catcher.
- Nootbaar doubles with one away.
- Goldschmidt flies out.
Top 4:
- Melendez lines out to retire the side, but Kansas City gets the first two on and scores them both. Royals are in front, 3-1.
- Renfroe singles home Pasquantino. It's a 3-1 ball game.
- Massey grounds, out, advancing Pasquantino. Two away.
- The Cardinals are going with a new pitcher: lefty Matthew Liberatore. Graceffo goes 3.1 innings with 38 total pitches.
- Perez hits a sacrifice fly, scoring Witt Jr. The Royals grab the 2-1 lead.
- Pasquantino doubles. Runners on second and third with no one out.
- Witt Jr. singles to left.
Bottom 3:
- Burleson flies out to center. 1, 2, 3 go the Cardinals in the third.
- Contreras strikes out swinging.
- Donovan grounds out.
Top 3:
- Frazier grounds one to second for the third out. Royals 1, Cardinals 1.
- Kyle Isbel strikes out swinging.
- Freddy Fermin grounds out on a bunt attempt.
- MJ Melendez ties the game with a solo home run, his 10th of the season.
Bottom 2:
- Michael Siani strikes out looking to end the inning. St. Louis 1, Kansas City 0.
- Brandon Crawford works a walk after a nine-pitch at-bat. One on with two outs.
- Nolan Gorman strikes out swinging.
- Arenado grounds out to third base.
- Lars Nootbaar hits a solo home run to left. Echoes of the last game in the doubleheader, when Nolan Arenado hit a home run in the same inning. Cardinals take a 1-0 lead.
Top 2:
- Hunter Renfroe hits into a double play, bringing the half-inning to a close.
- Massey singles to center. First Royals baserunner.
- Salvador Perez goes down swinging to become the first strikeout victim of the game.
Bottom 1:
- Paul Goldschmidt pops out to Massey, and that brings an end to the first inning. No score on either side.
- Alec Burleson pops out to Witt Jr.
- Willson Contreras hits a long flyout to Isbel.
- Brendan Donovan starts the home half with a single.
Top 1:
- Vinnie Pasquantino grounds out to short to retire the side in the top of the first. No score.
- Bobby Witt Jr. flies out to center.
- Adam Frazier starts the nightcap with a flyout to left.
- First pitch crosses the plate at 6:48 p.m. CT.
Pregame:
- Kansas City lineup: 1. Adam Frazier, third base; 2. Bobby Witt Jr., shortstop; 3. Vinnie Pasquantino, first base; 4. Salvador Perez, designated hitter; 5. Michael Massey, second base; 6. Hunter Renfroe right field; 7. MJ Melendez, left field; 8. Freddy Fermin, catcher; 9. Kyle Isbel, center field; P: Michael Wacha (R)
- St. Louis lineup: 1. Brendan Donovan, left field; 2. Willson Contreras, catcher; 3. Alec Burleson, designated hitter; 4. Paul Goldschmidt, first base; 5. Lars Nootbaar, right field; 6. Nolan Arenado, third base; 7. Nolan Gorman, second base; 8. Brandon Crawford, shortstop; 9. Michael Siani, center field; P: Gordon Graceffo (R)
WILL MILLER